Two arrested for Goa blast

Two people hailing from Karnataka were arrested in Goa on Saturday in connection with the Diwali eve blast in Margao in which two members of the Hindu group Sanatan Sanstha were killed while carrying a bomb, police said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police R S Yadav, reading out a statement at the police headquarters here, said Vinay Talekar, 30, hailing from Karwar, and Vinayak Patil, 27, had been arrested in Margao.

Both were residing in Ponda for the last few years, Yadav said, refusing to state whether they were members of Sanatan Sanstha, two of whose members were killed in an explosion while ferrying detonator-rigged gelatin sticks on a scooter in Margao, 35 km from Panaji.

"They have been arrested under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, the unlawful activities act and the explosive substances act. The arrests were carried out at 12.40 am," Yadav said, refusing to divulge details.

The arrests were conducted by members of the Special Investigation Team which has been formed to probe the blast.

"We had called the duo for questioning earlier in course of the investigation," Yadav said.

With these two arrests, the total number of people booked in the blast case now rises to four, including Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who died of injuries from the blast October 16.